Health Articles

A few months back, I started my article with the following mishna in Pirkei Avos: Rabbi Elazar haKappar said, “Hakin’a vehata’avah vehakavod motzi’im es ha’adam min ha’olam – Envy, inordinate desire, and [the search for] glory remove a man from the world.” (Pirkei Avos 4:28, translation from Bunim’s Ethics from Sinai) This month I would like to focus on another interpretation of “remove a man from the world.” R. Bunim says, “If they [these passions] remove a man from the world, they obviously do not abate as long as the person lives….they will be ‘faithful to the end’ – the bitter end that they hasten.”A strong appetite or desire does not go away. It may be pacified by feeding it one day, but the next day it is back again, a force to deal with and to accompany us throughout our lives. As Rav Yitzchak says (Kiddushin 30b) “A person’s yetzer renews itself daily”.

An Orthodox Jewish man called an out-of-town psychologist to inquire about beginning therapy. Shortly after the client identified his presenting concern, the psychologist asked him basic demographic information, such as his name. The prospective client responded that he was uncomfortable sharing his name, both now over the phone and even later if he became a client. The psychologist was somewhat struck by this comment and tried to reassure the prospective client by explaining the strict terms of confidentiality. The prospective client replied that he comes from an Orthodox Jewish community where the stigma of coming to therapy was extremely high and that he did not want to risk the possibility that others could discover that he attended therapy. Consequently, he did not want even his own therapist to know his name. Later in the phone call, the prospective client stated that he needed to use his health insurance to pay for therapy services. The psychologist explained that he would not be able to submit claims to the insurance company without knowing the client’s name. The client understood and politely said that he then would not be able to attend therapy.

Do you or someone in your family experience learning, mood, or behavior difficulties? Maybe your child struggles with poor self-control, disruptive behavior, or inappropriate aggression. As an adult, maybe you find yourself dealing with irritability, distraction, rashes, and restless sleep. Have you tried a few different approaches and still find yourself having difficulty? One solution that has worked for many people is to adopt a diet free of artificial colors and other additives. As you’ll see below, there’s a substantial body of research backing such an approach.

If you search online or look for books in the library on the topic of eliminating artificial colors and other additives from the diet, the most prominent name that surfaces is the Feingold Association. For more than 40 years, this organization has provided information and assistance to families who want to try a simple elimination diet.

What is the connection between sailboats and ADHD? Surprisingly, they are closely related. But first we have to explain what ADHD is, and then the connection will become quite clear. Usually, people ask a different question: Is ADHD real? Yes, it is definitely real, but it is greatly misunderstood. This article will attempt to clarify this intriguing condition that has been termed Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Attention Deficit
As the term indicates, one of the primary traits of ADHD is an attention deficit. This would imply that people with ADHD have a hard time paying attention. This is partially true.

Rav Yisrael Salanter was once in a hotel in France. He went into the restaurant and asked for a glass of water. As he was ready to leave, the waiter gave him a bill for 50 francs. Rav Yisrael was surprised, and told the waiter that he had only had water. The waiter explained that the bill included the overhead, the art, the music, the ambiance of the restaurant, etc. Rav Salanter paid the bill and even left a tip. He wrote a letter to his students, saying that now he knew why we recite “…shehakol nihyeh bidvaro,” that everything came to be through His word. We are not making a bracha just on the water; we are making a bracha on everything! (Rabbi Label Lam on parshas Eikev, torahanytime.com)

Health professionals have known for decades about the role of vitamin D in building strong bones, yet an explosion of medical research in the last decade has shed light on the role of this nutrient in many other body systems and health conditions. Researchers now know that vitamin D receptors are found throughout the body. This means vitamin D is involved in a wide range of body functions.

Along with this, research has shown that correcting low levels of vitamin D can help in managing a number of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. And higher vitamin D levels have been linked to a lower risk for many types of cancer.

So it’s worth boning up on this crucial vitamin. Below are answers to common questions and some guidelines to help you decide whether you need to supplement your intake in order to optimize your levels.